


Ghost King

by justadamfangirl22



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Eventual Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, M/M, Nico di Angelo is Bad at Feelings, One-Sided Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson, Sassy Nico
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-03 11:02:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17282843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justadamfangirl22/pseuds/justadamfangirl22
Summary: On Hiatus until July 2019----------------------------What happens to Nico from the end of The Last Olympian onwards. Mostly canon compliant.





	1. Welcome to the Underworld

**Author's Note:**

> My updating schedule is not at all regular, so be aware of that. It's Nico, so be prepared for feels. I love getting comments from you, so feel free to leave your thoughts. Thanks for reading!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico visits the Underworld and learns an important secret.

_ September 17th: Palace of the Underworld _

Nico stepped into the shadows. He found himself in Persephone’s garden, which—as always—was flourishing under her care. Nico leaned against the brick wall lining the courtyard to catch his breath. After a moment, he made his way up the steps to his father’s throne room, pausing to greet the skeleton guards that stood at the entrance.

Persephone was holding court today, his father must have been busy with something.

Nico bowed slightly. “Your majesty.”

Persephone smiled welcomingly. She was usually less friendly with her husband’s other children, but she had taken a liking to Nico. She found herself pleasantly surprised whenever he dropped in.

“Hello, Nico. Your father has a meeting with the furies today. They’re discussing what can be done about the situation at hand.

Nico frowned. “What’s going on?”

“Your father hasn’t told you?”

Nico shook his head.

“Thanatos has gone missing. The doors of death have been opened. The dead are allowed to walk free.”

Nico looked shocked. “How did this happen?”

“Gaea is stirring. She has influence over all things in the Earth.”

“Gaea?” Nico asked fearfully.

“Mother Earth.”

“Yes, I know, but she’s been asleep for millennia. Why’s she waking up now?” Nico wondered.

“After you and your friends defeated the Titans, the giants, Gaea’s other sons saw an opportunity. We have reason to believe that the prophecy given to your friend, Percy Jackson, in August, was related to these events.”

“But Apollo said the prophecy wouldn’t happen for years.”

Persephone shrugged. “In case you haven’t noticed, my nephew is hardly ever right.”

Nico smiled a bit at that.

“You have no need to worry. I’m sure this prophecy will be about some different young heroes. You and your friends have been through enough. The fates aren’t _that_ cruel.”

Nico smiled coldly. “You’d be surprised. Besides, what other heroes are there?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” Nico eyed her carefully. “Your room is all ready for you. Dinner will be in an hour.”

Nico hesitated a moment before he nodded and thanked her. He turned and made his way through the twisted corridors of the palace.

 

The air shimmered in front of Nico. A voice floated through the mist.

“Incoming message from Annabeth Chase.”

Nico sighed. “Accept.”

“Hey, Nico. You’re at your dad’s?”

Nico nodded dismissively. “Yeah. Why?”

“Just making sure you’re safe.”She paused for a moment. “You should really tell someone before you leave. People worry.”

Nico shrugged.

“You know we care about you, Nico. You’re always welcome here.”

Nico nodded half-heartedly. _Not once you find out who I really am_.

Annabeth looked like she was about to say something when she was interrupted by a knock at her cabin door. “That’s Percy. I have to go.”

“Of course,” Nico muttered.

“Nico, if you ever want to talk, you can send me an Iris message.”

Nico ran a hand through his hair. “Yep.” He let out the word in one short breath.

Annabeth gave a small wave. “Bye!”

“Bye.”

Nico slashed his hand through the mist and flopped back onto his bed. He knew she meant well, but she was still Percy’s girlfriend, and it always hurt knowing she had everything he couldn’t have.

 

Nico, Hades, and Persephone sat around the skeletal dining room table in awkward silence.

Persephone cleared her throat. “How’s Camp Half-Blood?

“Okay.”

“Are you and Percy still friends?”

Nico shrugged.

Persephone was clearly grasping for any topic of conversation. “The weather’s lovely, isn’t it?”

Hades looked puzzled. “There is no weather. We’re in the Underworld.”

Persephone sighed, shaking her head. “Worth a try.”

 

Nico pushed his chair back. “I’m going to my room.”

Hades cleared his throat. “Actually, I was wondering if I could have a word with you?”

Nico looked confused. “Okay?”

Hades led Nico up to his study, shutting the door behind them.

“So…” Hades twisted his hands together.

“Is that your word?”

Hades glanced at the boy. “I hope you’re being sarcastic.”

Nico shrugged.

Hades shook his head. “I guess I’ll get right to it. What do you know about Roman mythology?”

“Isn’t it just the same as the Greek stuff?”

“With a few exceptions, yes. What if I told you that Roman gods are real?”

“Of course. Another set of assholes in the sky. Why not?”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

Hades shook his head.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“It’ll be important. I want to show you something.”

Hades moved over to the mirror that hung on the wall above his desk. He moved his hand across the surface. “Show me Camp Jupiter.”

The mirror showed a valley. The city inside of it reminded Nico of some of the places in Italy his mother had taken him when he was younger, a mix of modern buildings and ancient architecture.

“What is this?”

“This is Camp Jupiter. It’s a training camp for Roman demigods. It’s in San Francisco.”

Nico took a moment to process this. “So the Roman gods also sleep with random mortals?”

Hades decided to ignore that remark. “They’re not all too different from us.”

“So…what are you asking me to do?”

“I'd like you to go there. Announce yourself as the son of Pluto. The praetors will welcome you. Just don't tell them you're Greek.”

Nico hesitated. “…Okay.”

“You can't tell anyone else about this. Oh, and you should probably learn some Latin. They'll expect you to be fluent.” Hades scanned his bookshelf and selected a Latin phrasebook. “Here.”

Nico bit his lip. “Thanks.” They regarded each other silently for a moment. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

 

Nico collapsed on his bed and let the Latin book fall to the floor beside him. He stared up at the ceiling, painted black like the rest of the room. _Roman demigods_.

 

_September 18th: Palace of the Underworld_

Nico was sitting on his bed, flipping through the book Hades had given him. The Latin actually made sense. It was pretty similar to Italian, and it came almost as naturally to him as Greek. After a few hours, he felt somewhat confident that he could speak with the Romans without giving himself away.

His mind kept catching on what Persephone had told him, about the dead being able to walk free. He couldn’t help but think about Bianca. What if he could bring her back?


	2. Bring Her Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico goes to find Bianca in Elysium, but things don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This includes a scene from the Son of Neptune, but from a different perspective.

_September 19th: The Underworld_

Nico stood at the golden gates of Elysium. He reached into his pocket to take out the key he had stolen off his father’s desk a few months ago. He inserted it into the lock and pushed the heavy gate open. He stepped into paradise, making his way through town. He navigated the streets with ease, having been here before to visit his sister. Technically, he wasn't allowed, but nobody had ever stopped him. He turned onto Main street.

“Hey, Nico!”

A familiar voice made Nico turn his head. Silena and Beckendorf were sitting at an outdoor cafe. They beckoned him over.

“Hi.”

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Silena noted.

“My father won’t do anything about it. He’s too busy to care. Besides, if he didn’t want me to come here, he would’ve hidden the key more carefully.”

“What are you doing here?” Beckendorf asked.

Nico shrugged. “Have either of you seen Bianca?”

Silena’s expression turned to pity. “She left a few weeks ago. She chose rebirth.”

“Oh.” Nico felt the world start to collapse in on him. It was like he’d lost her all over again. He wrapped his hand around the small figurine he kept in his coat pocket. It was the Mythomagic statuette of their father she had given her life to bring to him.

“I have to go.” His voice came out weak and strained.

“Nico…I’m so sorry.”

Nico didn’t respond to Silena. Instead, he turned away, feet moving quickly across the brick road, struggling to hold back the tears that burned at the corners of his eyes. He slipped through the golden gates, slamming them shut. They crashed together with a satisfying clang.

Nico stepped away from Elysium, collapsing at the base of a nearby poplar tree. He brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around himself. He knew what this meant. He would never see Bianca again. It was even worse than when she died. He knew she was out there, somewhere. But she wouldn’t remember him. He’d never get a chance to say goodbye, to have one last conversation with her. She was gone.

Nico waited until his tears were dry, before struggling to his feet and beginning the trek back to his father's palace. Nico took the long way, across the fields of Asphodel.

Along the way, he spotted a girl around his age sitting at the foot of a tree. Something felt off about her. She didn't seem as washed out and lost as the other souls of Asphodel. He approached her.

“You’re different. A child of Pluto. You remember your past.”

“Yes. And you’re alive.”

Nico paused a moment.

“I’m Nico di Angelo. I came looking for my sister. Death has gone missing, so I thought...I thought I could bring her back and no one would notice.”

Hazel was surprised. “Back to life? Is that possible?”

“It should have been. But she’s gone. She chose to be reborn into a new life. I’m too late.” Nico tried to keep his voice from breaking.

“I’m sorry.” Hazel sounded sympathetic, like she actually meant what she was saying.

Nico considered for a moment, before holding out his hand. “You’re my sister too. You deserve another chance. Come with me.”

Hazel took his hand and stood. “I’m Hazel Levesque.”

“Nice to meet you, Hazel.”

“How are you gonna get me out of here?”

“Have you ever shadow traveled before?”

“What's that?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. Hold on tight.” He offered his hand before stepping into a nearby shadow, taking Hazel with him.

 

_September 19th: San Francisco_

Hazel stumbled a bit when they emerged from the shadows. She looked sick.

“Let's not do that again.” She looked around. “Where are we, anyway?”

“San Francisco. I think.”

Hazel looked around.

“It looks different than the pictures I've seen.”

“What year are you from?”

“1942.”

“It's been around seventy years. A lot has changed since then.”

“That would explain why it looks different.”

Hazel looked confused. She pointed to a guy across the street, who was holding a small, glowing device in his hand. “What's that?”

“That's an iPhone.”

“What does it do?”

“It's like a combination between a telephone, and a really advanced computer.”

“How is it that small?”

“Technology has come a long way. I was shocked too.”

“You're from the past?”

“Yeah. The ‘40s, same as you.”

“Did you die too?”

“No. Father took us to a hotel in Las Vegas. It's called the Lotus Hotel and Casino. Avoid it at all costs. Time slows down there. Sixty years felt like a few weeks.”

Hazel nodded, processing this information. “So...why are we here?”

“Our father showed me a place where I can take you. A training camp for children of the gods.”

“How do we get there?”

“I'm not sure, exactly. We'll figure it out.”

“Does food still exist? Or have you eliminated that with your advanced society?”

Nico laughed. “Food still exists. Come on. There's got to be a McDonald's around here somewhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will feature Hazel and Nico's McDonalds adventure! As always, comments are greatly appreciated.


End file.
